Pushkar (map) is a small holy town in the state of Rajasthan famous for the Pushkar Lake, various ghats and temples spread all around the lake. Though Brahma is considered to be the creator of the world in *Hinduism, Pushkar is the only temple of this important deity in the whole world.
While there are many temples in Pushkar, the majority do not allow foreigners/non-Hindus to enter. If you are allowed in, you will have to take off your shoes to enter the temples.
If you only have the desire/time to visit 2 temples, the one-of-a-kind *Brahma Temple (map) and the *Savitri Mata Mandir (map), with a beautiful view of Pushkar Lake, are must-sees.
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No matter where you stay in Pushkar, you will hear the daily chanting ceremonies or aartis conducted here: One begins two hours before sunrise, one 40 minutes after sunset, and one 5 hours after sunset.
! All restaurants within the city limits may serve only vegetarian food.
Watch the evening prayers at Varah Ghat (map), a mesmerizing ceremony involving bells and lamps. Watch the aarti ceremonies at the Brahma Temple. The Hare Krishna chanting will likely wake you up anyhow, so go watch! See listing above regarding the Brahma Temple.
Pushkar Camel Fair (November, during the full moon). A 14-day fair visited by 400,000 people per year. Features over 11,000 camels, horses, and cattle. It is held during a holy time in the Hindu calendar and pilgrims will come not just for the fair, but to bathe in Pushkar Lake.
The whole of town is considered to be sacred, so whatever rules generally apply to place of worship in India, apply to the whole of town. It is advised that the men wear full length pants and t-shirt/ shirt and women wear full length clothes. Do not wear off-shoulder tops or shorts while roaming within the city. Take off your shoes at stairs if you are going near the lake. Be polite, but do not be pressured into making any offering at the ghats. It is not mandatory.
Due to its mountainous location, trains to Pushkar are very infrequent and slow. However, the train station in nearby *Ajmer (map) provides great connections to most major cities in India. From the Ajmer train station, you can either take a taxi to Pushkar (30 minutes), or you take a rickshaw or tuk-tuk to the Ajmer Bus Station and take a bus from there to Pushkar.
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